Test kit is here. Yippie!

[Fathead657]

Ok so I’ve read the ABCs and test kit arrived. I know I’m way out of balance without testing.

I will be doing my first test tomorrow or Sunday. Any tricks or advice before I start?

I have a large syringe and was going to pull my sample with it so I had plenty of water to use through all the testing



All help is greatly appreciated

 

[HermanTX]

If you can find a squirt top bottle that also works but syringe is fine.
Suggest you draw from 18 inches underwater - above your elbow - midway to your shoulder.

Review the videos on YouTube - go to TFTestkits website under resources or link below

https://youtube.com/@TF100TestKit

 

[Newdude]

and test kit arrived

Any tricks or advice before I start?

Take any specific test on the master list. DON'T look at the list as a whole. Trust me there. It'll be rocket science.

But take one test, and gather the bottles/supplies. You don't even need to know what R0871 is. Doesn't matter. Just grab it. Uncap it all, in order per the instructions and place it on your left.

Then take each stupid simple step one at a time. Seriously, they're ridiculously stupid simple.

Add 10 ml to vial.
Add 5 drops of XYZ.
Swirl.

Look at the whole sheet again, and BOOM. Rocket science.


Place the used bottle to your right, and worry about tidying up when you're done with that test.

I found it really helps flow though the test.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

Here are some testing tips that may help you conserve reagents and achieve accurate results...

• Get a sample bottle with a dropper style tip. Leslie's has nice ones they'll give you for free.
• Always rinse sample vials with pool water before and after use. With small sample size, even a bit of fresh tap water can skew results
• When using droppers, keep the bottle vertical. Squeeze only enough to allow the drops to just fall off the tip
• Go slow between drops (about 1 second between) and watch closely for color changes. On most tests, color hues are less important than determining the "endpoint."
• The endpoint for most "count the drops" type tests is when there is no more color change. Keep adding drops until there is no color change. Don't count the last drop that results in no color change
• For the first few tests, wipe the tip of the R-0009 TA bottle between each drop with a damp rag to eliminate static charge
• Use 10 mL sample size for FC/CC test (R-0870/R-0871/R-0003 reagents)
• Use 25 mL sample for TA test
• Use 10 mL sample for CH test
• For some tests, swirling is critical to achieve accurate results (there's a tool for that). Keep swirling the vial throughout the test.
• Try to develop a routine and stick with it. Do the tests the same way each time.

Take some time to review:

Extended Test Kit Directions Archives

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[BDY]

the free water bottles from Leslie’s are great for sampling (yourself of course) or one of these is awesome

ACM Economy Wash Bottle, LDPE, Squeeze Bottle Medical Label Tattoo (250ml. / 8oz / 1 Bottle)

Amazon.com

 

[Fathead657]

Ok I’ll try and find Leslie’s bottles. I have empty bottles that look like bottles in the kit from making my own e-cigarette juice. 30ml and 60ml bottles.

I will attempt it all tomorrow or Sunday. I have the spinner from the pro kit and I have two vials and two pills.

When people say set aside a test I get worried I need more vials.

I read everyone saying it’s easy to do but my ocd tells me that I’m gonna mess it all up

 

[Fathead657]

the free water bottles from Leslie’s are great for sampling (yourself of course) or one of these is awesome

ACM Economy Wash Bottle, LDPE, Squeeze Bottle Medical Label Tattoo (250ml. / 8oz / 1 Bottle)

Amazon.com

Is the 250ml enough?

 

[Newdude]

Is the 250ml enough?

Oh yes. You need about 75 ml for the full suite and you'll only be testing most of them monthly once you prove they are stable and become one with the pool.

 

[HermanTX]

When people say set aside a test I get worried I need more vials.

I have a vial for each test along with a magnetic stirrer (pill). FC/CC, CH, TA and Salt (For Saltwater pool only) So think about that going forward to buy extra vials & stirrers in the future.
As stated by others above always rinse the vial with the pool sample before and after the test.
I do FC/CC and CH test one after another because they both use 10ml sample. I put a black line on the 10ml to make it easy to see
The TA is a 25ml sample and sometimes people new to testing forget that.

I have the spinner from the pro kit and I have two vials and two pills.

Great that you have the auto stirrer as that will make testing so much easier.

There is no harm in doing each test twice - it helps you gain confidence and you can see how each test changes colors.

Don’t stress as all you need to do is repeat the test.

One other suggestion - on each of the specific drop bottles I took a sharpie and wrote the number of drops on each bottle along with the volume.
So for example on the CH test on the R-0010 bottle I put 10ml, 10x, then on the R-011 bottle I put 10ml, 3x and nothing on the R-0012 bottle. Did similar for TA. It is just a reminder when I pick up the bottle as to the sample volume and the number of drops for that bottle.

 

[Oly]

Write down the results before you move to the next test. Was that 10 1/2 or 11?

 

[BDY]

The 250 covers all my vials including salt, the cya, and then i dump the leftover into a container for my ph probe so it’s a very manageable size. And for accuracy too

 

[Newdude]

I have a vial for each test along with a magnetic stirrer (pill). FC/CC, CH, TA and Salt (For Saltwater pool only) So think about that going forward to buy extra vials & stirrers in the future.

I've had 2 kits and 2 salt kits and an inability to throw out perfectly good stuff, so I have vials for days. But that one vial is like my favorite Tshirt and the others just aren't the same.

I like it to the point that it slows me down to get up from the kitchen table and go clean it in the sink between tests, which I happily do. This level of inefficiency should make my inner German cringe, but oddly it doesn't.

We all have our idiosyncrasies

 

[BDY]

Someone said once keep chlorine vial, salt vial, and all other vial (3 total) because of residues from chlorine and salt.

 

[Fathead657]

I knew I should have bought more vials

 

[duraleigh]

Rinsing your vials in tap water is adequate for the most part. If you see any sign of staining, mix a 1:1 solution of muriatic acid and water and carefully clean that vial. The staining seems to have no affect on the validity of the test......just a good testing habit to practice.

 

[Newdude]

Mine are several years old. Ahem. Excuse me, mine *is* several years old as I'm only using old trusty and not multiples, and I've never needed to clean it with anything more than tap water and soap.

Everyone's milage may vary and whatnot.

 

[Fathead657]

is there a specific order better than another to test each item?

 

[PoolStored]

Do FC and pH first. The rest do not matter the order.

 

[Fathead657]

Do FC and pH first. The rest do not matter the order.

thanks. as soon as my wife gets home were going to learn this together

 

[Fathead657]

and my speedstir doesnt work. awesome